Precision seasoner

Abstract

A seasoning apparatus and method for evenly and consistently seasoning french fries or other food. The seasoning apparatus may include a hollow hopper for holding and selectively dispensing seasoning therefrom and a plurality of actuatable dispensing elements each translatably attached to the hopper and each having a holding compartment formed therein. The actuatable dispensing elements may receive seasoning in the holding compartment from the hopper. When translated to a dispensing position, the dispensing elements may dispense seasoning from the holding compartment. The seasoning apparatus may also include a seasoning spreader for spreading seasoning dispensed from the actuatable dispensing elements and a food-holding container fixed a distance below the hopper and seasoning spreader. The food-holding container may have a weighing device coupled with a controller for determining an amount of seasoning to dispense from the hopper and actuating the actuatable dispensing elements accordingly.

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: 
     
       1. A seasoning apparatus comprising:
 a hopper configured for holding and selectively dispensing seasoning therefrom; 
 a plurality of independently actuatable dispensing elements each having a holding compartment formed therein configured to receive seasoning from the hopper in a holding position and to dispense seasoning from the holding compartment when shifted in relation to the hopper to a dispensing position, the actuatable dispensing elements being adjustable for dispensing a desired amount of seasoning; an adjusting block disposed within each holding compartment to provide for changing of the amount of seasoning held therein; and 
 a seasoning spreader configured for dispersing seasoning dispensed from the hopper when one of the actuatable dispensing elements is shifted in relation to the hopper to the dispensing position. 
 
     
     
       2. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper comprises at least one side wall, a first bottom wall, and a second bottom wall positioned below the first bottom wall, wherein the first bottom wall has a first bottom opening formed therethrough and the second bottom wall has a second bottom opening formed therethrough and vertically offset from the first bottom opening. 
     
     
       3. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the holding compartment of each actuatable dispensing element is formed by one or more sidewalls and has a top inlet opening and a bottom outlet opening vertically aligned with the top inlet opening, wherein the top inlet opening is vertically aligned with the first bottom opening in the holding position and the bottom outlet opening is vertically aligned with the second bottom owing in the dispensing position, such that seasoning passes from the hopper to the holding compartment in the holding position and seasoning in the holding compartment is dispensed through the bottom outlet opening and the second bottom opening in the dispensing position. 
     
     
       4. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the actuatable dispensing elements are slidably attached to the hopper between the first bottom wall and the second bottom wall, wherein the actuatable dispensing elements are translatable relative to the hopper between the holding position and the dispensing position. 
     
     
       5. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a food-holding container positioned a distance below the hopper and configured for holding food therein and receiving the seasoning dispersed by the seasoning spreader. 
     
     
       6. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a weighing device configured for weighing food in the food-holding container. 
     
     
       7. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a controller and at least one electrical actuator or motor, wherein the controller is configured for receiving a signal indicative of a weight of the food in the food-holding container from the weighing device and sending a command signal to the electrical actuator or motor, wherein the electrical actuator or motor is configured to actuate one of the actuatable dispensing elements based on the command signal received thereby. 
     
     
       8. A seasoning apparatus comprising:
 a hollow hopper configured for holding and selectively dispensing seasoning therefrom: 
 a plurality of manually actuatable dispensing elements each translatably attached to the hopper and each having a holding compartment formed therein configured to receive seasoning from the hopper in a holding position and to dispense seasoning from the holding compartment when translated to a dispensing position, the dispensing elements being independently actuatable for dispensing a desired amount of seasoning depending on the dispensing element and/or the number of dispensing elements being actuated, each holding compartment having a number of sidewalls, the holding compartments of at least two of the dispensing elements being adjustable for dispensing a desired amount of seasoning depending on the dispensing element being actuated, at least one sidewall of each holding compartment being repositionable relative to other sidewalls of the holding compartment such that repositioning the at least one sidewall changes a volume of the holding compartment; and 
 a seasoning spreader configured for dispersing seasoning dispensed from the hopper when at least one of the actuatable dispensing elements is translated to the dispensing position. 
 
     
     
       9. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the holding compartments of at least two of the dispensing elements have a different fixed size for dispensing a desired amount of seasoning depending on the dispensing element being actuated. 
     
     
       10. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the hopper comprises at least one side wall, a first bottom wall, and a second bottom wall positioned below the first bottom wall, wherein the first bottom wall has a first bottom opening formed therethrough and the second bottom wall has a second bottom opening formed therethrough and vertically offset from the first bottom opening, the holding compartment of each of the actuatable dispensing elements being formed by one or more sidewalls and having a top inlet opening and a bottom outlet opening vertically aligned with the top inlet opening, the to inlet opening being vertically aligned with the first bottom opening in the holding position and the bottom outlet opening being vertically aligned with the second bottom opening in the dispensing position, such that seasoning passes from the hopper to the holding compartment in the holding position and seasoning in the holding compartment is dispensed through the bottom outlet opening and the second bottom opening in the dispensing position, the actuatable dispensing elements being translatably attached to the hopper between the first bottom wall and the second bottom wall. 
     
     
       11. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a food holding container fixed a distance below the hopper and configured for holding food therein and receiving the seasoning dispersed by the seasoning spreader. 
     
     
       12. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a weighing device configured for weighing food in the food-holding container. 
     
     
       13. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a controller and at least one electrical actuator or motor, wherein the controller is configured for receiving a signal indicative of a weight of the food in the food-holding container from the weighing device and sending a command signal to the electrical actuator or motor, wherein the electrical actuator or motor is configured to actuate the actuatable dispensing elements based on the command signal received thereby. 
     
     
       14. A seasoning apparatus comprising:
 a hollow hopper configured for holding and selectively dispensing seasoning therefrom, the hopper comprising at least one side wall, a first bottom wall, and a second bottom wait positioned below the first bottom wall, wherein the first bottom wall has a first bottom opening formed therethrough and the second bottom wall has a second bottom opening formed therethrough and vertically offset from the first bottom opening; 
 a plurality of independently actuatable dispensing elements each translatably attached to the hopper between the first bottom wall and the second bottom wall and each having a holding compartment formed therein configured to receive seasoning through the first bottom opening of the hopper in a holding position and to dispense seasoning from the holding compartment through the second bottom opening of the hopper when translated to a dispensing position, the actuatable dispensing elements being adjustable and independently actuatable for dispensing a desired amount of seasoning depending on the dispensing element and/or the number of dispensing elements being actuated, wherein each of the holding compartments comprises an adjusting block disposed therein to provide for changing of the amount of seasoning held therein; 
 a seasoning spreader comprising at least one of an impeller and a diffuser configured to spin and/or gravity-spread seasoning dropped thereon from the hopper when the actuatable dispensing element is translated to the dispensing position; and 
 a food-holding container fixed a distance below the hopper and configured for holding food therein and receiving the seasoning dispersed by the seasoning spreader. 
 
     
     
       15. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the holding compartment of each of the actuatable dispensing elements is formed by one or more sidewalls and has a top inlet opening and a bottom outlet opening vertically aligned with the top inlet wherein the top inlet opening is vertically aligned with the first bottom opening in the holding position and the bottom outlet opening is vertically aligned with the second bottom opening in the dispensing position. 
     
     
       16. The seasoning apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a weighing device configured for weighing food in the food-holding container; and 
 a controller and at least one electrical actuator or motor, wherein the controller is configured for receiving a signal indicative of a weight of the food in the food-holding container from the weighing device and sending a command signal to the electrical actuator or motor, wherein the electrical actuator or motor is configured to actuate the actuatable dispensing elements based on the command signal received thereby.